title: Mineral profiling of local pig-feeds and pigs reared under resource driven production system to reduce porcine mineral deficiency in subtropical hill ecosystem of Northeastern India.
abstract: The present study assessed the mineral status of pigs fed with local feed resources. The commonly used plants for feeding pigs and blood serum samples from Hampshire, Large White Yorkshire and indigenous pigs were analyzed for total protein, albumin and cholesterol levels. Processed plant and serum samples were also analyzed for calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, copper, cobalt, manganese, iron and zinc. The incidence and extent of mineral deficiency in pigs was quantified. No significant difference was observed in total protein and albumin levels between any two breed/types of pigs, however the Indigenous pigs showed significantly (P < 0.05) higher cholesterol level compared to other two breeds. Among different plants, Spilanthus sp had majority of macro and micro nutrients in high levels. Regarding incidence of mineral deficiency in pigs, it was observed that 90, 67.1, 61.4, 48.6, 95.7% of the pigs were deficient in calcium, phosphorus, sodium, magnesium and potassium. An interesting finding was that all the pigs (100%) utilized in the study were deficient in zinc. From this study, it was inferred that there are good numbers of potential source of mineral that might be used more economically to improve the mineral availability to pigs.
authors.affiliation: Animal Production Division, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umroi Road, Umiam, Barapani, Meghalaya 793 103, India. ogkumaresan@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumaresan
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Bujarbaruah
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Pathak
authors.forename: Anubrata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ramesh
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D003677:Deficiency Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D017753:Ecosystem; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008903:Minerals / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D008903:Minerals